U.S. Postage Stamps U.S. Postage Stamps The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery. The First Postage Stamps In 1837, Great Britain’s Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform rate of postage for mail going anywhere in the British Isles and prepayment by using envelopes with preprinted postage or adhesive labels. On May 6, 1840, the stamp that became known as the Penny Black, covering the one-penny charge for half-ounce letters sent anywhere in the British Isles, became available in postal facilities. United States Postage Stamps Alexander M. Greig’s City Despatch Post, a private New York City carrier, issued the first adhesive stamps in the United States on February 1, 1842.

The Post Office Department bought Greig’s business and continued use of adhesive stamps to prepay postage. After U.S. postage rates were standardized in 1845, New York City Postmaster Robert H. Morris, among others, provided special stamps or markings to indicate prepayment of postage. These now are known as Postmasters’ Provisionals. On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847. One, priced at five cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a ten-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets. Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a five-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A two-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person. Postal Stationery The first printed stamped envelopes were issued July 1, 1853. They have always been produced by private contractors and sold at the cost of postage plus the cost of manufacture.

With the exception of manila newspaper wrappers used from 1919 to 1934, watermarks have been mandatory for stamped-envelope paper since 1853. The watermarks usually changed with every four-year printing contract to help identify the envelope and paper manufacturers. Austria issued the first postal card in 1869. The United States followed in May 1873. Postal cards, known today as stamped cards, are produced by the government and carry preprinted postage, unlike privately produced postcards, which do not bear postage. The 1873 Annual Report of the Postmaster General noted: As predicted, they have been favorably received. They have supplied a public want, and have made a new and remunerative business for the Department.33 Commemorative Stamps In 1893, the first U.S. commemorative stamps, honoring that year’s World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, were issued. The subject — Columbus’s voyages to the New World — and size of the stamps were innovative. Standard-sized stamps were too small for engraved reproductions of paintings that portrayed events connected to Columbus’s voyages.

The stamps were 7/8 inches high by 1-11/32 inches wide, nearly double the size of previous stamps. Over the years, commemorative stamps have been produced in many sizes and shapes, with the first triangular postage stamp issued in 1997 and the first round stamp in 2000. The first stamp honoring an American woman was the eight-cent Martha Washington stamp of 1902. The first to honor a Hispanic American was the one-dollar Admiral David Farragut stamp in 1903. Native Americans were portrayed in a general way on several earlier stamps, but the first to feature a specific individual was 1907’s five-cent stamp honoring Pocahontas. In 1940, a ten-cent stamp commemorating Booker T. Washington became the first to honor an African American. Other firsts include the 1993 29-cent stamp featuring Elvis Presley. The public was invited to vote for the “young” or the “older” Elvis for the stamp’s design. Youth triumphed, and this has become the best-selling U.S. commemorative stamp to date.

Nondenominated Stamps The first nondenominated stamps (stamps without a printed value) in the United States were two Christmas stamps issued October 14, 1975. The Postal Service had requested a rate change from 10 to 13 cents and was unsure when the Postal Rate Commission would issue a recommended decision in the case. When the rate change was delayed, the stamps were sold for 10 cents. A similar situation led the Postal Service to issue nondenominated stamps on May 22, 1978. They bore the letter “A” rather than a denomination. The stamps were prepared in case of a shortage of stamps in the uncertain new denomination. They were sold for 15 cents for domestic use only. Nondenominated stamps with letter designations through “H” were issued in conjunction with postage rate changes through 1998. Self-adhesives The Postal Service originally developed self-adhesive stamps to make precanceled stamps more secure. Precanceled stamps are canceled across the face before being sold. In the late 1960s, as many as 20 percent of them were soaked off and reused. Precanceled stamps skipped a processing step that often caught reused stamps.

With the Christmas 1974 issue, the Postal Service experimented with a self- adhesive precanceled stamp. It was believed that the tightly bonded self-adhesive would not permit stamps to be soaked off. An additional security feature placed slits in the stamps to foil attempts to peel them off. Unfortunately, the stamps cost three to five times more to produce than regular postage stamps, they could still be soaked off and reused, and stamps in the hands of collectors started to self-destruct. In 1989, the Postal Service again experimented with self-adhesive stamps, this time with emphasis on customer convenience. The new self-adhesives had a water-soluble adhesive and were produced on coated paper, so the effects of the adhesive would not be destructive. Introduced nationwide in 1992, self-adhesive stamps now are issued in formats that include booklets, coils, sheets, and souvenir sheets. Semipostals Semipostals are stamps on which the price exceeds the cost of postage; the difference is devoted to a particular cause.

An act of Congress resulted in the Breast Cancer Research stamp, the first United States semipostal, on July 29, 1998, with proceeds above the cost of postage going to breast cancer research. The Postal Service issued the Heroes of 2001 stamp on June 7, 2002, with proceeds going to the families of emergency workers killed or injured in connection with the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Presidents of the United States on Stamps - FindYourStampsValue.com Contact us U.S. PRESIDENTS ON U.S. POSTAGE STAMPS American Presidents have been honored with postage stamps for a long time. It was and remains one of the main themes for philatelic issues especially in the USA. When the U.S. Post Office released its first two postage stamps in 1847, George Washington, along with Benjamin Franklin, were the two subjects depicted on these premier issues. First Presidents stamp issues were definitive stamps but later commemorative items began to appear. The presidential theme in stamp designs would continue as the decades passed.

In each period of the American history many of variations of the presidents` portrait could be seen on the face of US postage stamps. The portrayals of U.S. Presidents on U.S. postage have remained a significant subject and design theme on definitive postage throughout most of U.S. stamp issuance history. The various stamps bearing the depictions of presidents include such outstanding politicians as George Washington foremost, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln etc. It should be noticed that USA Post Office had a tradition of issuing stamps honoring dead or seriously ill presidents. Later the tradition was changed and the portraits of American presidents made their first appearances on U.S. postage for very different reasons. First appearances Among the first definitive stamps that appeared in the United States were items depicting George Washington, along with that of Benjamin Franklin appeared on July 1 of 1847. Thomas Jefferson first appeared on U.S. postage in March 1856, nine years after the first issues were released. Only 15 years later Andrew Jackson was honored with a special postage stamp. Abraham Lincoln appeared for the first time on a U.S.

postage stamp on April 14, 1866, on occasion of the first anniversary of his death. With a run of history newly selected presidents began to be commemorated with different philatelic issues. 1. George Washington George Washington was the first President who was honored with a definitive stamp. This event happened in 1847. It was the 5-cent Franklin 1847 stamp and the 10-cent Washington 1847 stamp. The Washington Franklin Issues were unique in the sense that these subjects were the only ones found on definitive stamps for more than a decade. Later the other variety of items with portrayals of George Washington became the theme of the new philatelic releases. 2. John Adams John Adams was the second president of the United States and the second long-serving leader who was depicted on a stamp. His portrait firstly appeared on the philatelic item on June 3, 1938 - 2-cent John Adams stamp. As a model for this postage stamp issue was taken Daniel Chester French's marble bust of Adams displayed in the US Capitol's Senate Gallery. 3. Thomas Jefferson It should be noticed that Thomas Jefferson wasn't so popular politician that was depicted on a postage stamp.

The first issue honoring Jefferson was issued in 1856 - 5-cent Thomas Jefferson stamp, only nine years after the Post Office issued its first two stamps of Washington and Franklin in 1847. (Before this time hand-stamps were used to mark and confirm payment of postage.) Unlike other famous presidents Jefferson appeared on just two commemorative issues, one in 1904 - LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION - Thomas Jefferson stamp, the other on the AMERIPEX presidential issue of 1986 - Thomas Jefferson 1986 AMERIPEX stamp. 4. James Madison James Madison was the fourth President of the United States, served from 1809–1817. It is known that Madison was honored with three Definitive issues. It was issued a 2-dollar Madison stamp based on the engraving of Madison after his portrayal by Gilbert Stuart. The second one is the dark blue 2-dollar Madison stamp issued June 5, 1903 after the image designed by R. Ostrander Smith.

And finaly the third 4c Madison stamp was released issued a 4c Madison stamp on July 1, 1938 that was part of the Presidential series that was issued that year. Only in 2001 James Madison was honored with a commemorative stamp - 34c Madison stamp. 5. James Monroe James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States who served two terms from 1817 to 1825. It is unusual that Monroe wasn't honored with definitive issues. His first stamp was commemorative 3c stamp of 1904 - LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION - James Monroe stamp. This item contains Monroe's image that was engraved George F.C. Simille, modeled after a painting by John Vanderlyn which now hangs in City Hall, New York City. The five stamps of this set represent the first presidential images ever to appear on U.S. commemorative issues. Later other commemorative regular and presidential stamp issues honoring James Monroe appeared. 6. John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States.

The item commemorated this president based on the engraved image of Adams appeared in 1938 and was a part of the special Presidential Series - 6-cent John Quincy Adams stamp. The other stamp depicting Adams was part of the Ameripex '86 issue, which commemorated all past deceased American Presidents. 7. Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States. He was not only an outstanding politician but also the commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The peculiarity of the first stamp that was issued to honor Andrew Jackson is that it was designed and put into circulation 18 years after his death (in 1863) - 2c Andrew Jackson 1863 stamp. The stamp depicts a bust of the president sculpted Hiram Powers. The 3c issue of 1894 features an image of Jackson similar to those on the issues of 1873 and 1883, taken from a bust by Hiram Powers - 3c Andrew Jackson 1894 stamp. Later the US Post released a great variety of commemorative and regular issues honoring Andrew Jackson. 8.

Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States (from 1837 to 1841). He was the first US President to be born an American citizen. The first stamp issued in honor of Van Burren was part of the Presidential Series of 1938. The the 8-cent olive green denomination stamp depicts the sculpted bust of Van Buren that is on display in the US Capitol's Senate Gallery - 8c Martin Van Buren 1938 stamp. 9. William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison was the ninth President of the United States and simultaneously served in the U.S. Army as an officer. Moreover William Harrison got the title of a hero in the War of 1812, he was the first president to die in office. The first issue commemorating the president was honored in 1938. It was the 9-cent pink 1938 William Henry Harrison stamp, Presidential Series issue that depicte Harrison's bust.

The other commemorative stamp honoring William Harrison was released on occasion of the 150th anniversary of Indiana statehood - INDIANA TERRITORY SESQUICENTENNIAL 3c William Henry Harrison stamp. The president also appeared on the AMERIPEX presidential commemorative issues of 1986. 10. John Tyler John Tyler was the tenth President of the United States (1841–1845) and the first who assumed the office immediately after the death of his predecessor. A stamp dedicated to Tyler appeared in 1938 and had the orange-brown 10-cent denomination - 10c John Tyler stamp. The image of Tyler taken for the stamp was modeled after a bust by John Keck. The second item commemorating the president was issued in 1986, a 22-cent stamp in the AMERIPEX presidential issue - John Tyler 1986 AMERIPEX stamp. 11. James K. Polk James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States (1845–1849).

He was the Speaker of the House and Governor of Tennessee before being elected as a president. Polk was a devoted supporter and follower of Andrew Jackson and is considered to be the last strong pre-Civil war leader./p> The item depicting James Polk appeared on a stamp in 1938. The item had the 11-cent denomination and was the part of Presidential Series - 11c James K. Polk stamp. Polk's profile on the stamp was designed after a medal struck by the US Mint. The other items commemorating Polk were put into circulation in 1986 and in 1995 - 32c James Polk 1995 stamp. 12. Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Taylor was the first president elected as a president without having held any previous elected office. He also got the title of the national hero of the Mexican-American War. This fame led him to the Presidency. Zachary Taylor was honored with three regular issues, a special stamp that was a part of the Presidential Series and two commemorative items that have a particular value for philatelists.

The first Taylor stamp was issued in 1875 and re-issued in 1879 and special-printed in 1880 - 5c Zachary Taylor stamp. The second Taylor appears on the 12-cent stamp of the 1938 Presidential Series - 12c Zachary Taylor stamp. 13. Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States (1850 until 1853). Firstly he was the Vice President and after the death of his predecessor he immediately assumed the Office. As such Fillmore was never actually elected president, and was the last member of the Whig Party to hold that office. The first stamp honoring appeared in 1938 and had the 13c denomination in that series - 13c Millard Fillmore stamp. On a stamp the engraved image of Fillmore can be seen that was modeled after a bust by Robert Cushing. The other stamp was released in 1986 in AMERIPEX. 14. Franklin Pierce Before Franklin Pierce having been elected as a president he was a successful American politician and lawyer.

Then he became the 14th President of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. The first the 14c issue honoring Pierce appeared in 1938 modelled after medal struck by the US Mint - 14c Franklin Pierce stamp. The only commemorative stamp honoring Pierce was released in AMERIPEX presidential issue on May 22, 1986. 15. James Buchanan James Buchanan was the 15th President of the United States (1857-1861) and the last President to be born in the 18th century. Some historians considered Buchanan’s presidency successful as there are evident that he kept a divided nation together for so long while others fault him for failing to avert a civil war. The image of James Buchanan appeared on the 15-cent issue in 1938 - 15c James Buchanan stamp. The president's portrait was designed after a sculpted bust by Henry Dexter. The other stamp was issued in 1986 on the AMERIPEX presidential issue. 16.

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 to 1865. Lincoln's main merit is that he successfully led the United States through its Civil War, bringing an end to slavery. The president's personality was extremely popular that is why he was honored with the stamp issues quiet often, second only to the number of times George Washington has been featured on the face U.S. Postage. His first appearance on U.S. Postage came on or near the one-year anniversary of his death. This stamp was released in 1866 and remains to be one for the book for each philately lover - Abraham Lincoln 15c stamp. The designs of each Lincoln's stamp were made by prominent artists that is why each philatelic issue is special and has high value. 17. Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States serving from 1865–1869. Johnson is thought to be the most prominent War Democrat. After Lincoln's death Johnson presided over the Reconstruction era of the United States in the four years following the American Civil War.

The first item released in honor of Andrew Jackson marked its appearance on October 27, 1938 - 17c Andrew Johnson stamp. It was unusual rose stamp with the engraving of Johnson's profile that was modeled after by a bust. The only commemorative stamp depicting Johnson was a part of AMERIPEX presidential series and was issued in 1986. 18. Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States and remains the youngest man theretofore elected president. He is also considered to be a national hero of the American Civil War. Grant appered on a postage stamp until some five years later after his death in 1890. The first Grant postage stamps Engravings were modeled after a photograph by William Kurtz - 5c Ulysses Grant stamp. Later on he was honored with a number of stamps that have considerable philatelic value. 19. Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States. Before being elected as a president, he served in the army and was the Governor of Ohio for two separate terms.

During his military service he was wounded on five separate incidents. The first stamp honoring the 100th anniversary of Hayes' birth was released in 1922 and was the first stamp issued in the Regular Issues of 1922–1931 - 11c Rutherford B. Hayes stamp. The engraving of Hayes is designed after a photograph taken by prominent Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. There was another definitive issue in 1938 - 19c 1938 Rutherford B. Hayes stamp and one commemorative stamp released in 1986 on the AMERIPEX presidential issue 20. James Garfield James Abram Garfield was the 20th President of the United States who is also very famous due to his military merits. He was a president only for 200 days and then was assassinated by by Charles J. Guiteau. An assassin's bullet ended his life and presidency and cut his time in office after serving only 200 days. Garfield was the only sitting member of the House of Representatives to have been elected President.

Garfield is one of the few presidents to appear on a postage stamp more than the usual one or two times. The first issue to honor him was released in 1882. The 5-cent Garfield was the second US postage stamp to honor an assassinated president within the year following his death and is also considered a 'mourning stamp' by many. 21. Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur became the 21st President of the United States. Before becoming a president Chester Arthur worked as a lawyer. The engraving of Chester A. Arthur appears on the 21-cent value of the 1938 Presidential Series. The likeness was modeled after a marble bust of Arthur by Augustus Saint-Gaudens in 1891. There is only one commemorative stamp issued in Arthur's honor, one stamp in a series in the AMERIPEX Presidential issue of 1986. 22, 24. Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. Cleveland is the only president ever to have served two non-consecutive terms. The first stamp issued honoring Cleveland was unveiled in 1923.

This precious philatelic item was modeled after the engraving that is listed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing as “unknown.” The 12-cent Cleveland was reprinted and issued again in 1931. The other stamps appeared in 1938 and in 1986. 23. Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States. During American Civil War Benjamin Harrison served as an officer and got a lot of medals. The first stamp honoring Harrison was a commemorative item released in the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois, in 1893. He was also honored with two more definitive issues and two commemorative stamps. 25. William McKinley William McKinley Jr. was the 25th President of the United States, and the last veteran of the American Civil War to be elected to the office of the President. He was the last American president to serve in the 19th century and was the first President to serve in the 20th century.

William McKinley was honored with a number of issues, among them are three Regular Issues of, 1923, 1926 and 1927, the design, color and denomination of which are the same, and on the 1938 Presidential issue, but first appeared on U.S. Postage in a commemorative issue, the Louisiana Purchase series of 1904. The only commemorative stamp with the image of McKinley appeared in 1986 as part of a series of stamps honoring U.S. Presidents. 26. Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. After the assassination of William McKinley, Roosevelt was elected as a president at the age of 42, taking office at the youngest age of any US President in history at that time. Roosevelt was a hero of the Spanish–American War. His other merit is that he negotiated an end to the Russo-Japanese War which later won him the Nobel Peace Prize. Roosevelt was extremely popular figure for postage stamps images. The first issues appeared in 1922 and 1925.

Among a great number of other stamps, special philatelic interest has a US Canal Zone stamp honoring Roosevelt was issued in November 1958, the 100th anniversary of his birth. Theodore Roosevelt is the only American president to be honored on a Canal Zone postage stamp. 27. William Howard Taft William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the 10th Chief Justice of the United States. Taft is the only person to have served in both offices. The first stamp honoring Taft appeared in 1930 and had the denomination of the 4c - 4c William Taft stamp. One more the 50c Taft stamp was part of the Presidential issue of 1938 - 50c William Taft stamp. The engraved profile of Taft was modeled after a bust sculpted especially for the stamp. Taft was also depicted on the AMERIPEX presidential issue of 1986. 28. Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States.

First known by the slogan "he kept us out of the war", Wilson was the president who declared war on Germany who was attacking all US vessels at high sea. The first stamp honoring Wilson was released in 1925, immediately after the president died. The image on the stamp is based on the photograph by Wilson`s widow. Woodrow Wilson was honored with three more commemorative issues that remain extremely popular in the world of philately. 29. Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States. Except of being successful president, he also worked as a journalist and influential publisher. Harding's unexpected death prompted the issue of 1923, 2c black, unofficially referred to as the Harding memorial Issue, which Clair Aubrey Houston managed to design in one day. Two years later the Post Office issued a similar Harding stamp, using the same die used for the 1923 Harding Memorial issue and whose color this time was brown and whose denomination was now at 1-1/2 cents. Harding appeared on three more commemorative issues released in 1930, 1938 and 1986. 30.

Calvin Coolidge John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States. He is known to be become the first President of the United States to deliver a political speech on radio, and his 1925 inauguration was the first to be broadcast on radio. Known as "silent Cal" for being a man of few words in private while known for being an excellent orator at the pulpit. The first issue depicting Coolidge was released in 1938. It was a part of the Presidential series when the Post Office releases a series of stamps, one honoring each deceased president at that time. Coolidge was also honored with 1986 AMERIPEX commemorative issue. Up through Coolidge, every president (with the two exceptions of Monroe and McKinley) had made his first appearance on U.S. Postage in a definitive series, only later being honored by a commemorative stamp. With subsequent presidents, the reverse is true: all have made their first appearances on commemoratives. 31. Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States. Hoover was a professional mining engineer and author.

He is also known to be a great humanitarian and was actively involved into charity. After World War I, Hoover had massive shipments of food sent to feed starving millions in central Europe. He also provided much needed aid to Soviet Russia in 1921 which was then plagued with famine. However, the historians consider Hover less successful in his career than previous ones as he failed to bring the country out of the great depression that beset the country in 1929, the year Hoover assumed office. Hoover has never appeared on a U.S. definitive stamp. He was only honored with three commemorative stamps; the first one was released in 1965. 32. Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the 32nd President of the United States. Many historians consider Roosevelt to be one of the most influential leaders in the world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war. FD Roosevelt was the only American president elected President for more than two terms. The first series of commemorative stamps was released only two months after Roosevelt's death.

As this president was extremely popular in the USA and worldwide, the US regularly issued a number of philatelic items honoring his life and political activity. Each stamp dedicated to Franklin Roosevelt is interesting and valuable in philatelic sphere. 33. Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States. Truman began his political career in politics as a county judge in 1922. He was Franklin D. Roosevelt's running mate in 1944. The first Harry Truman stamp was put into circulation in 1973. It was created by Bradbury Thompson and the denomination on the 8c. The president was honored with four more commemorative stamps that have particular philatelic value. 34. Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David Eisenhower was an outstanding general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States. He also became the first supreme commander of NATO. The first commemorative stamp depicting Eisenhower was released in 1969. The peculiarity of this issue is that it was larger than other commemorative stamps of that time. The Eisenhower commemorative issue was designed by Robert J.

Jones of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and was fashioned after a photograph taken by Bernie Noble of the Cleveland Press. The president was depicted on four more philatelic items. 35. John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. His statement has been quoted by each generation of the Americans: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." This saying became a moto for the country. Kennedy was the second-youngest President. The first stamp honoring the president was put on sale in 1964 on occasion of his 47th birthday. It was a memorial stamp that today has a high philatelic value. Kennedy was depicted on two more commemorative stamps. 36. Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson became the 36th president immediately after Kennedy`s assassination in 1963. He won re-election in 1964 with 61 percent of the vote and served until January 20, 1969. The Lyndon Johnson memorial stamp was released in 1973.

It was designed by Bradbury Thompson and has the denomination on 8c. Johnson's last appearance (to date) on a US Postage stamp occurred in 1986 where he is honored on one of a series of stamps called the AMERIPEX issues of 1986. 37. Richard M. Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th president of the United States. In 1968, Nixon won the presidency and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 1972. Nixon was the only person to be elected twice to both the Presidency and the Vice Presidency. He was also the only US President to resign the office. The only stamp that was devoted to the figure of Richard Nixon was released in 1995 immediately after his death. The issue was designed by Daniel Schwarz and is extremely popular among the philatelists. 38. Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States. Ford was the first person appointed to the vice-presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment, filling the vacancy left by Spiro Agnew.

He became President upon Richard Nixon's resignation on August 9, 1974. The only issue commemorated Gerald Ford was put on sale in 2007 and has the status of memorial stamp. 40. Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and served two terms from 1981 to 1989. Reagan was depicted on the stamps oftener than his predecessor. The first philatelic item honoring the president was released in 2005 - Ronald Reagan stamps. The image of Reagan was modeled after a portrait painted by award-winning artist Michael J. Deas. He was honored with two more commemorative issues. There are currently four living former Presidents of the USA (George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, in order from oldest to youngest), as well as the current President Barack Obama. They have not been honored with commemorative stamp issues yet because of the USA and some other countries postal rule that consists in the following: the living person cannot be depicted on a commemorative stamp!

History of US Postage Stamps | The first United States stamp History of US postage stamps History of US postage stamps The first United States stamps in early American philately The history of US postage dates back to the 1600s when America was still under British rule. When the US postal service was formalized, they began to issue the official US stamps. You can just imagine how many postage stamps has been produced since the US postal service was established in 1774 up to the present time. The earliest American postal service In the 1600s, when North America was still under the British rule, King William and Queen Mary authorized Thomas Neale to establish an office for sending and receiving letters and money. Independent postal services running from Boston to New York has already been established as early as 1639. Two centuries later, in 1842, another private postal service called the “City Despatch Post” sprouted in New York City and began issuing the first American adhesive stamps. Later on, when the US government acquired the private postal service, its name was changed to “United States City Despatch Post”.

The US provisional postage stamps From 1842 to 1847, the local postmasters were allowed to issue postal stamps that they made on their own. Stamps and envelopes issued during this period in American philately came to be known as the postmasters’ provisionals. Until 1844, the postage stamp price was so expensive that it crippled the postal service. Only a few people could afford the high postal rates. Luckily, the US Congress ordered that all American provisional stamps from the year 1845 onwards will have a uniform postage stamp price . However, the provisional stamps were only valid at the post office they were issued. It was not until two years later that the US Post Office standardized all American stamps. The first American definitive stamps Did you know who were the first Americans depicted on US stamps? The first Americans on US postal stamps were Benjamin Franklin (on a 5-cent red brown US postage stamp), and George Washington (on a 10-cent black US post stamp). The black Washington stamp was then called the American Penny Black after Europe’s famous postage stamp. The official US postage stamps that were released on July 1, 1847 were warmly received by the American public.

Over 3, 700, 000 pieces of the 5c American stamp were sold. The 10c US stamps were also produced in 865, 000 pieces. However, the first definitives in the history of the US postage stamps did not have perforation marks. The first US perforated stamp Adapting perforation marks on US post stamps were introduced in the late 1850s. The first perforated American postage stamps were also issued in new denominations of 24c, 30c, and 90c. Like its imperforated counterpart, the earliest issues of the perforated US stamps bore the images of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. US stamps during the American civil war When the Civil War broke in 1861, the entire postal service was badly affected. John H. Reagan, who was then the Postmaster General of the Confederate States, ordered that all US postage stamps issued by the local postmasters should be returned to Washington DC. After the country-wide postal stamp embargo, new issues of US postal stamps were circulated. The new American stamps were incorporated with the “US” initials on the design.

In 1863, a 2cent black stamp was issued with the image of Andrew Jackson, which is now called by stamp collectors as the “Black Jack”. The American bank note stamps From 1870 to 1893, the postmaster general decided to produce a special series of US stamps that featured the portraits of great Americans. To make the stamps even more special, they were designed by the American Bank Note Company. Thus, these US postal stamps earned their nickname “banknote stamps.” The US bank note stamps were enhanced with security features such as the grills and the secret marks incorporated into the stamp design. The Z grill stamp The postal authorities were concerned about postage stamp reuse because the stamp cancellation inks can be easily washed out. In an attempt to solve the problem, American postage stamps were embossed with tiny indentations that absorbed the cancellation ink. The 1 cent z grill stamp printed has the profile of Benjamin Franklin on the stamp design. The use of the US z grill stamps started in 1867 until they were phased out in 1871. Today, the Benjamin Franklin z grill is one of the rarest American stamps in the history of US postage stamps.

The first American commemorative stamps A year after his assassination, Abraham Lincoln’s image graced the design of the 15c grey black stamp which was released in 1866. Philatelists consider this stamp as the first American memorial stamp. But the first US commemorative stamp came out in 1893 to add publicity to the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The earliest American commemorative stamps also included the 1898 Trans-Mississippi Exposition stamps and the 1901 Pan-American Exposition stamps. US watermark stamps The year1893 also marked another breakthrough in the history of American stamps. Aside from the introduction of the US commemorative stamps, this was also the year that the United States postal service started to use the watermarked stamp paper. Since then, stamp watermark became synonymous with postal service security. However, the popular usage of the stamp watermarks on US postage stamps waned after 1917. The USPS eventually stopped making American watermarked stamps in 1938. The US stamp sets Several American stamp series have been issue already.

Some of the most popular sets USPS stamps that philatelists aim to complete are the: • US Presidential stamp series (1954 to 1965) • Liberty issue stamp sets (1854) • Prominent Americans stamp set or the Americana stamp series (1965 to 1981) • Great Americans stamp set (1980 to 1994) • American celebrities stamp series (2000) The USPS forever stamps In April 2007, the US postal service devised a new stamp for First Class one-ounce mails. What is so special about the US forever stamps is that they will never expire and their stamp value remains the same. Though the forever stamps only have a single design featuring the Liberty Bell, they are not usually collected for American philately. Instead, the USPS forever stamp sets are bought by consumers who take advantage of their flat rate. The value of US forever stamps remains the same even if the price of one-ounce mail increases.

Related articles: Stamps and Postcards - Who We Are - USPS Stamps and Postcards Commemorative Stamps, Listed by Theme: African American Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM American Indian Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Hispanic Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Women Subjects on United States Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Stamped Cards and Postcards PDF | RTF History of Postage Stamps The Post Office Department issued its first postage stamps on July 1, 1847. Previously, letters were taken to a Post Office, where the postmaster would note the postage in the upper right corner. The postage rate was based on the number of sheets in the letter and the distance it would travel. Postage could be paid in advance by the writer, collected from the addressee on delivery, or paid partially in advance and partially upon delivery. The First Postage Stamps In 1837, Great Britain’s Sir Rowland Hill proposed a uniform rate of postage for mail going anywhere in the British Isles and prepayment by using envelopes with preprinted postage or adhesive labels.

On May 6, 1840, the stamp that became known as the Penny Black, covering the one-penny charge for half-ounce letters sent anywhere in the British Isles, became available in postal facilities. United States Postage Stamps Alexander M. Greig’s City Despatch Post, a private New York City carrier, issued the first adhesive stamps in the United States on February 1, 1842. The Post Office Department bought Greig’s business and continued use of adhesive stamps to prepay postage. After U.S. postage rates were standardized in 1845, New York City Postmaster Robert H. Morris, among others, provided special stamps or markings to indicate prepayment of postage. These now are known as Postmasters’ Provisionals. On March 3, 1847, Congress authorized United States postage stamps. The first general issue postage stamps went on sale in New York City, July 1, 1847. One, priced at five cents, depicted Benjamin Franklin. The other, a ten-cent stamp, pictured George Washington. Clerks used scissors to cut the stamps from pregummed, nonperforated sheets.

Only Franklin and Washington appeared on stamps until 1856, when a five-cent stamp honoring Thomas Jefferson was issued. A two-cent Andrew Jackson stamp was added in 1863. George Washington has appeared on more U.S. postage stamps than any other person. Until government-issued stamps became obligatory January 1, 1856, other payment methods remained legal. Postal Stationery The first printed stamped envelopes were issued July 1, 1853. They have always been produced by private contractors and sold at the cost of postage plus the cost of manufacture. With the exception of manila newspaper wrappers used from 1919 to 1934, watermarks have been mandatory for stamped-envelope paper since 1853. The watermarks usually changed with every four-year printing contract to help identify the envelope and paper manufacturers. Austria issued the first postal card in 1869. The United States followed in May 1873. Postal cards, known today as stamped cards, are produced by the government and carry preprinted postage, unlike privately produced postcards, which do not bear postage.

The 1873 Annual Report of the Postmaster General (on pages XXVI-XXVII) noted: As predicted, they have been favorably received. They have supplied a public want, and have made a new and remunerative business for the Department. Postal cards were sold at face value until January 10, 1999, when a charge for the cost of manufacture was added. Commemorative Stamps In 1893, the first U.S. commemorative stamps, honoring that year’s World Columbian Exposition in Chicago, were issued. The subject — Columbus’s voyages to the New World — and size of the stamps were innovative. Standard-sized stamps were too small for engraved reproductions of paintings that portrayed events connected to Columbus’s voyages. The stamps were 7/8 inches high by 1-11/32 inches wide, nearly double the size of previous stamps. Over the years, commemorative stamps have been produced in many sizes and shapes, with the first triangular postage stamp issued in 1997 and the first round stamp in 2000. The first stamp honoring an American woman was the eight-cent Martha Washington stamp of 1902.

The first to honor a Hispanic American was the one-dollar Admiral David Farragut stamp in 1903. Native Americans were portrayed in a general way on several earlier stamps, but the first to feature a specific individual was 1907’s five-cent stamp honoring Pocahontas. In 1940, a ten-cent stamp commemorating Booker T. Washington became the first to honor an African American. Other firsts include the 1993 29-cent stamp featuring Elvis Presley. The public was invited to vote for the “younger” or the “older” Elvis for the stamp’s design. Youth triumphed, and this has become the best-selling U.S. commemorative stamp to date. Booklets Stamp booklets were first issued April 16, 1900. They contained 12, 24, or 48 two-cent stamps. Parafinned paper was placed between sheets of stamps to keep them from sticking together. The books, which carried a one-cent premium until 1963, had light cardboard covers printed with information about postage rates.

Stamp booklets remain a staple and are enjoying a resurgence in popularity because of their availability at a wide range of non-postal retail outlets. Coils and Vending The first coil (roll) stamps were issued on February 18, 1908, in response to business requests. Coils were also used in stamp vending equipment. The Department hoped to place vending machines in Post Office lobbies to provide round-the-clock service without extra workhours. Machines were also planned for hotels, train stations, newsstands, and stores. Twenty-five different vending machines were tested, with six chosen for tests in the Baltimore, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., and Indianapolis Post Offices. Both coil stamps and imperforate sheets were produced for vending machines, with the latter receiving a variety of distinctive perforations and separations. Nondenominated Stamps The first nondenominated stamps (stamps without a printed value) in the United States were two Christmas stamps issued October 14, 1975. The Postal Service had requested a rate change from 10 to 13 cents and was unsure when the Postal Rate Commission would issue a recommended decision in the case.

When the rate change was delayed, the stamps were sold for 10 cents. A similar situation led the Postal Service to issue nondenominated stamps on May 22, 1978. They bore the letter “A” rather than a denomination. The stamps were prepared in case of a shortage of stamps in the uncertain new denomination. They were sold for 15 cents for domestic use only. Nondenominated stamps with letter designations through “H” were issued in conjunction with postage rate changes through 1998. Self-adhesives The Postal Service originally developed self-adhesive stamps to make precanceled stamps more secure. Precanceled stamps are canceled across the face before being sold. In the late 1960s, as many as 20 percent of them were soaked off and reused. Precanceled stamps skipped a processing step that often caught reused stamps. With the Christmas 1974 issue, the Postal Service experimented with a self-adhesive precanceled stamp. It was believed that the tightly bonded self-adhesive would not permit stamps to be soaked off. An additional security feature placed slits in the stamps to foil attempts to peel them off.

Unfortunately, the stamps cost three to five times more to produce than regular postage stamps, they could still be soaked off and reused, and stamps in the hands of collectors started to self-destruct. In 1989, the Postal Service again experimented with self-adhesive stamps, this time with emphasis on customer convenience. The new self-adhesives had a water-soluble adhesive and were produced on coated paper, so the effects of the adhesive would not be destructive. Introduced nationwide in 1992, self-adhesive stamps quickly became popular with customers. By 2002, nearly all new U.S. commemorative stamp issues were self-adhesive. Forever Stamp On April 12, 2007, the Postal Service issued its first Forever stamp, a nondenominated, nonexpiring stamp intended for customers mailing a piece of First-Class Mail. Sold at the going rate of a First-Class stamp, a Forever stamp is always valid for the first ounce of First-Class postage. Forever stamps were initially intended as a convenience for customers, to ease the transition during stamp price changes. From 2007 to October 2010, only one design was issued: the Liberty Bell Forever stamp.

Due to their popularity, in 2010 two additional designs were issued – Holiday Evergreens Forever stamps beginning October 21, and Lady Liberty and U.S. Flag Forever stamp coils beginning December 1. In 2011, for the first time, all First-Class commemorative stamps were issued as Forever stamps. Semipostals Semipostals are stamps on which the price exceeds the cost of postage, with the difference devoted to a particular cause. An act of Congress resulted in the Breast Cancer Research stamp, the first United States semipostal, on July 29, 1998, with proceeds above the cost of postage going to breast cancer research. Congress passed legislation extending the sale of the Breast Cancer Research stamp several times and it has been sold nearly continuously since it was first issued, raising more than $75 million through 2012.

The Heroes of 2001 semipostal stamp, issued from June 7, 2002, through 2004, and the Stop Family Violence semipostal, issued from October 8, 2003, through 2006, rasied more than $10.5 million and $3 million respectively. The Postal Service issued its fourth semipostal stamp – Save Vanishing Species – on September 20, 2011. It raised more than $1.7 million through 2012. Related Services & Links Community Connection Help students explore America with stamp-themed lesson tips and education kits. Postal Store Order stamps, stationery, artwork, and more. Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee Learn how to suggest stamp subjects and about the selection process. Customized Postage Design your own postage stamps. Publication 153 – People and Places of the Pacific: A Celebration on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 295 – Hispanic People and Events on U.S.

Postage Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 354 – African Americans on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 512 – Women on Stamps PDF | HTM Publication 528 – Veterans and the Military on Stamps PDF | HTM

Question: Whose image was depicted on the first U.S. postage stamp?
Answer: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN